Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the additional resources to and reform of An Bord Pleanála have led to any tangible improvements in the decision-making timelines or an increase in the number of cases being heard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24539/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.

The Planning and Development Act 2024, includes a number of new provisions relating to An Bord Pleanála, which will be renamed An Coimisiún Pleanála, as part of a significant restructure. The Act will introduce statutory time periods for decision making for all consent processes, including, for the first time, for the Board/An Coimisiún Pleanála. This will bring increased certainty to the planning consent processes, for both the public and stakeholders involved in the delivery of key infrastructure such as housing and renewable energy. For Coimisiún processes, timelines are being introduced for appeals as well as the various consents applications made directly to the Coimisiún.

In preparation for the transition to An Coimisiún, the Board has been working to address the backlog of cases currently awaiting a decision more quickly than before. Progress on addressing this backlog is reported to my Department on a monthly basis. The total number of cases on hand on 31 March 2025 was 1,369, down from 2,272 on the equivalent date in 2024, a reduction of 40% in one year. As recently as May 2023, the number of cases on hand was 3,616 (down 60%). In 2023 and again in 2024, more cases were discharged by the Board than were received. This trend has continued into 2025 and sees a significant reduction in the historic backlog. This increased work output has been enabled by significant additional resources. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in ABP.

Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.